Backing up, reversing, driving odd- we’ve all done that, and we all do that everyday as drivers. It’s a bit of a hassle, true, but other than that we’ve never really thought about it pensively now, haven’t we?
It rarely comes up in conversation, nor do we talk about it comprehensively. But it’s a major factor in driving, and sooner or later, given the statistics, we’re going to have to talk about it.
We here at Elinz thought that we should start the conversation- given that we have some reverse camera kits available for sale, we’d like to underscore the importance of having great tech supporting and keeping your everyday driving safe.
Without further ado, here are the facts.
Reversing contributes massively to everyday accidents that happen out on the road all over the world, and is one of the biggest causes for car insurance claims. Its true- and while driver distraction is still the #1 contributor to accidents that happen out on the road (more on that later), reversing still costs drivers a whole lot of money not just in Australia, but all over the world.
So much so that the QLD government have it on a documentation for driving safety, "can the need to reverse be avoided?"
Speeding & driver inattention are among one of the most “fatal five” when it comes to driving; meaning that its a couple of factors that takes most lives in the context of car accidents. But how does this relate to reversing?
Imagine backing up into someone driving like this...
Imagine backing out of a car park or doing it on the main road- it’s night (or it might even be day!), and you’re looking at your rearview mirror and your side mirrors, gingerly inching out of that park- suddenly, you get hit by a different car speeding into your car’s tail.
And that brings us to our next fact, which is fairly obvious enough:
Poor visibility and miscalculation are the biggest contributors to accidents with reversing. While there are tools to aid you when reversing, such as your rear view mirror and your side mirrors, notice that there are some honest manufacturers that say “object may be closer than they appear” in some rear view mirrors. It’s this clearance and this miscalculation of depth that is often the case for accidents when it comes to reversing, and something that drivers should acknowledge and understand.
Speaking of poor visibility…
The average vehicle has a blind spot that’s almost as wide as the vehicle- approximately 1.8m. In this blind spot, anything can happen- something can just run into that space, an object might be in there that might collide with the vehicle- anything. This blind spot, along with the problem of depth perception (or lack thereof) with reversing, is a big deal when it comes to accidents. This only underscores the necessity of reversing cameras, something that car manufacturers all over the world are starting to wise up on (some are including basic reverse cameras in stock purchases of cars, now.)
According to Ameriprise Financial, drivers backing up into each other isn’t as nearly as odd as you think it is. In fact, it’s one of the most common parking lot accidents- just goes to show that depth perception and the lack of it, coupled with the blind spot with reversing is a massive problem when driving cars.
When this happens, both drivers share the fault- if the car is damaged, it’s off to get an insurance claim (which, to note, might not always be approved for repair by the insurance company).
One of the main reasons lots of driver education is asking people to park parallel in reverse- it’s because reversing causes issues when you’re trying to get out of park. It’s dangerous, especially if you are about to back out into a road. It doesn’t always spell disaster, but there’s a good chance if you don’t see where you’re reversing into.
There’s no other solution to these problems and facts other than getting a reversing camera for yourself. To make sure that you get a great deal, make sure to pick one that’s best for your vehicle.
If you can get one for yourself today- please do so. Not only are you keeping yourself safe, but you’re also helping your fellow motorists keep safe on the road (on top of saving yourself the sudden expense of car repair). Make sure to check out our listings for different reverse cameras today and keep yourself safe today!
